Electric clock.



E. E. CLEMENT. ELECTRIC CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 30, 1910. Patented May 12, 1914.

B. E. CLEMENT. ELECTRIG CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED APR.30,.1910v 1,096,680 Patented May12,1914.'

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

CHlME OR STRIKE DRUM CHINE 0R STRIKE OUTLINE OF BELL UNITED srazwnm 0F .5

EDWARD E. CLEMENT, or WASHINGTON, 111mm or'ooLUMsiA.

ELECTRIC CLOCK. I

Original application filed May 25, 1909,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1 2, 191a.

Serial No. 498,369. Divided and this application filed AprilBO,

1910. Serial No. 558,622. 7

'ments in Electric Clocks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to electricv striking and chime mechanism for clocks, and has for its object the provision of such mechanism which shall be relatively simple, flexible in its adaptability to different clocks, and efficient in operation.

my prior application Serial No. filed May 25, 1909.

Briefly stated, my present invention comprises hour strike and chime bells or go ngs,

each provided with anactuating electromagnet; a drum having teeth or cams upon its surface adapted in its rotation to open and close the several contacts in a row supported above the drum; a set of relays controlling the chime magnets, and themselves controlled from the drum; and finally a clock mechanism with selective contacts for the hour, controlling the hourstrike, and other selective contacts for the quarters, controlling the chime relays. the drum to make one rotation only each time it is actuated, and. control such actua- .tion by means of an. electromagnet havingdouble control, that is to say n a circuit closed either through the hour or the quarter contacts.

My inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawing in whicha Figure l is a: diagram of my system; and Fi 2 is an end view of the drum looking from the left in Fig. 1. Fig.-3 is a dia rainof a modified system of circuits of the c lime or striking bells and ncluding connection to certain display devices.

It is to be understood that the primary control of this chime and striking mechanism is obtained by means of a clock movement of some sort, with moving parts which can be employed to close different circuits in succession. For the purposes of my present illustration, I have .assumed the clock.

with hour and minute arbors, carrying hour and minute arms or hands 26 and 26, with brushes or other extremities marked 24 and 24 respectively. The brush 24 sweeps jover s a division of- I preferably arrange and the pairs of contacts are arranged in the order and at intervals. of single hours. The arm 26 makes one complete rotation in one. hour, and its pairs of contacts are placed in order and at intervals of one quarter of an hour. This arm has a cooperating gene rator ring 43, and its contacts for the first, second, third and fourth quarters are marked respectively 35'36, 87*38, 3940 and ib-4L2, respectively. a

It is to be understood that the'illu'stration and description of these circuit closing arms and all reference to the master clock MC which drives them, are to be regarded as definitive and not as restrictive, 'With this funderstanding I pass to a' general description of the novel portions of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows the connections of the striking mechanism, and indicates the related connections of the chiming mechanism. The striking is thus controlled: A drum 20' carries teeth upon its surface in twelve sets,

the first set having a single tooth, the sec-- ond set two teeth, and so on up to twelve. Held upon a ,frame overthe Zones of the teeth are twelve pairs of contact springsindicated by the ,numeral 21. V The lower springs are all tied together, and connected by wire 22 to the striking magnet of the hour bell 10. The upper springs are-indi vidnally connectedto the twelve contactslini dicated by numeral 23, these being connecti ed by the brush 24t to the generator/ring 25, in succession, as the arm 26 is driven around the circle. An additional set of contacts 27 are all wired together and connected by conductor 28 to the controlling magnet 29, pro vided with an escapement detent 30 engag ingback and front pins 31fand 82 on a disk 33 rigidly secured upon the shaft of the drum 20. At the other end of the drum any suitable motor mechanism is connected, shown as a cord and weight.

In operation,

when the brush 24 bridges the contacts of a particular hour, the magnet 29 becomes en-.

ergized, and releases the drum so it can make one complete rotation; the brush at the same time connects the proper contacts in circuit with'the gong striker, so that a number of impulses are transmitted to the latter propsired order.

crly corresponding to the hour. Instead of this magnet receiving the impulses directly as indicated in the diagran'i, a relay may of course be employed, which however is not illustrated, because it is an obvious expedient. In such case the relay would receive the impulses from the drum and in response thereto would open and close the circuit of the gong striker.

The drum can only make one complete rotation, because as long as the magnet 29 remains energized, the outer limb of its eseapement detent 30 will be in position to engage the pin 32 as shown in Fig. 1; and when it again becomes deenergized, the inner limb will come into position to engage the pin 31. These pins are staggered as indicated in Fig. 2, so that should the drum rotate until the pin 32 engages, subsequent deenergization of the magnet will catch the pin 31 and hold it without permitting any further rotation until the next succeeding energization of the magnet. As a matter of fact this magnet only remains energized while the brush 2% is traveling over the contacts.

For the chime mechanism I employ an extension of the striking drum, having teeth arbitrarily arranged upon its surface, to open and close the chime springs in any de- Assuming that we have eight bells in the chime, I provide correspondingly eight pairs of springs, and arrange thetceth on the drum in eight circles so that in one complete rotation thereof all the springs will he worked in succession or together, to produce the desired melody. To control these, special chime contacts are placed on the commutator, either 'on a minutes disk not shown, or preferably on a special ring of their own, as shown in Fig, 1. Chimes are usually rung on the quarters, and I will assume that for the first quarter three bells will be rung, for the second four bells, for the third six, and for the .hour eight. Four relays are provided marked in Fig. 1 respectively No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4, the first having three contacts connected to the firstthree'springs only, the second having four contacts connected to the first four' springs, the. third having six contacts connected to the first six springs, and the fourth having eight contacts connected to all the springs. The first three springs are thus connected in parallel to the corresponding contacts in all of the relays; one more goes to three relays, two more to two relays, and two more to one relay only. The chime drum must be actuated at each quarter, and if separate from the striking drum must have its own magnet 29 and other controlling parts. As it is shown in Fig. 1 connected to the striking drum, the single magnet 29 suffices for both. This magnet must receive current from the starting contact at each quarter, through the wire 290. The arm 26 makes one complete rotation per hour and its brush 24 in that time passes over the four pairs of-contacts 3536, 37-38, 39-3t0 and 1142, bridging each pair with the ring 43, which is connected to'a battery or generator through the wire 14. The contact 36 is connected to relay No. 1, 38 to'relay. No. 2, 4.0 to relay No. 3, and 12 to relay No. t, while the contacts 35, 37, 39 and 11 are all Wired together and connected to the maget 29 through the wire 290. It will be understood that the arm 26 makes one complete rotation while the arm 26 is making one twelfth of a rotation, or the distance between two sets of hour contacts. On the first quarter number 1 relay is pulled up, the chime drum makes one rotation, and the first four bells are rung, since no others are connected. On the second quarter number 2 relay is pulled up, the others remaining deenergized, and six chime'springs with their six connected bells are brought into circuit -to receive predetermined impulses from the drum. With the third quarter number ,3 relay is correspondingly pulled up cutting in eight bells, and on the fourth quarter or on the hour number 4 relay is pulled up cutting in the entire number of bells and giving the full chime as the drum rotates. This would be followed by the'rotation of thestriking drum, if separate, or where the striking and the chime drums are made as shown in Fig. 1 in one long drum, the striking teeth are arranged upon its surface so that they come after all the chime teeth are passed, in order of rotation. It may be added that the hour Will not be struck on any quarter except the last, because that is-the only time when the drums be made one or separate, the chimes are sounded first on the bells 11, and then follows the strokes indicating the hour on the bell 10. I believe that thisuse of a drum mechanism, in combination with controlling relays as described, is original with me, and as it can be used with any form of clock, electrical or mechanical, in which the start: ing and selecting contacts are provided at the proper intervals, I shall claim it herein as a part of my present complete invention.

An important feature of my chimcarrangement i that instead of having the various springs of the chime drum connected only to individual chime bells, they can also be connected to other pieces or groups of mechanism, so as to produce any desired effects at recurring and stated intervals. 1

Thus for example, proper legends formed of electric lamps, and changing from quarter to quarter, may be displayed either simultaneously with or iii place of the chimes. In

the same way, the striking of the hours which I have described may be substituted or accompanied .by the display of legends, advertisng figures, or the like, and I also contemplate using my commutator and connections for producing advertising effects at 1 stated intervals during the operation of the clock.

In connection with the striking, of the hour or the chimes at recurring intervals, I also contemplate including I lamps which illuminate or outline the bell, or bells (which lamps may be attached to or associated with the chime bells as well as the hour bell), in the same'circuits a the magnet strikers of the respective bells. If relays are employed between the drums and thebell strikers,

these relays will have one or more sets of contacts for their respective strikers, and

tacts will then close the flashed when 'the' bells ring.

other contacts in circuit with the correspondinglamps. The windings of the relays taking energizing current from the drum conlocal striker and lamp circuits simultaneously. These lamps may have in their circuits, or the relays may have seperate contacts for, groups of adver; tising or display lamps,

Such .an arrangementis illustrated in 'Fig. 3 'ofthe drawings in which the lamps which are illuminated to outline the hell are shown at the left, the display device is shown above them,the chime or strike bell and magnet are shown at 1012, the chime or strike drum at 20, and the control R corresponding to the control relaysnumbered 1, 2, 8 and 4 atthe right-hand side of Fig. 1. The relay suggested as being employed between the drum and the bell striker is shown'atR in Fig. 3, its winding taking energizing current from'the drum contacts and closing the local striker and lamp circuits in parallel as clearly shown.

In exposed pos1t1ons, 0r where no magnets or gong strikers are desired 1n proximity to the lamps, the striking and chime bells may be hung belowor away from the clock dials, leaving only the wire cages with their lamp outlines or the bells, which" being flashed when the latter are sounded, will localize the sound by suggestion through the eye.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat- 1. Electric strikingmechanism for clocks comprising a governing commutator operated synchronously with the clock movement, contacts selectively controlled thereby, a drum carrying sets of teeth adapted to actuate all. of said contacts for each operation, means'to produce such actuation in each selective-position of the governing commutator, and electromagnetic striking means,

with circuit -connections therefor to said contacts.

which will thus be 2. Electric striking means for clocks comprising a governmg'commutator operating synchronously with the clock movement, such commutator havlng a selectlve contact for each (11V1S10I1 of time winch is intended to be struck, a traveling circuit controller V for the commutator cooperating with said contacts, a drum carrying cam teeth arranged in order and number corresponding to the divisions of time to be struck, a plu rality of contact springs overlying said teeth and all mechanically actuated for each operation of the drum, individual circuit connections from said springs to corresponding contacts on the commutator, means for. driving said drum, means controlling the drive, a circuit connectionvfor said control ling means closed in contacts in the commutator at each division of time which is to be struck.

, 3. Electric striking means for clocks comprising a governing commutator operatedby a clock movement, a series of contacts and means to open and close each of said contacts a definite predetermined number of times for each. operation, a corresponding series of hour circuits connected through said contacts to the governingcommutator,

and an hour striking mechanism connected 1 to said commutator and adapted to be controlled by anyone of the said circuits as determined by the commutator.

4. Electricstriking means for clocks comprising the following instrumentalit-ies: a clock driven commutator having selective contacts for theseveral divisions of time to be struck, and starting contacts associated therewith, together with a traveling contact associated therewith, a plurality of'striking contacts corresponding in number and arrangement to the selective commutator contacts, electromagnetic striking mechanism and a source of current adapted to be connected to said striking contacts 111 proper sequence through the selective commutator contacts, power driven actuating means for. said strlking contacts, adapted when operpulses will be transmitted to the electromagnetic striking mechanism from the striking contact corresponding to the particular divi- S1011 of time, only.

h 5; Electric striking means for clocks comprising thefollowing instrumentalitiesz aclock driven commutator having selectlve contacts for the several divisions of time to be struck, and starting contacts associated therewith, together with a'traveling contact associated therewith, a plurality of striking contacts corresponding in number and arrangement to the selective commutator contacts, electromagnetic striking mechanism and a source of current adapted to be connected to said striking contacts in proper sequence through the selective commutator contacts, power driven actuating means for said striking contacts, adapted when operated to actuate each of said striking contacts a predetermined numberof 'times corresponding to the division of time which it represents, electromagnetic controlling mechanism for said actuating means, and circuit connections from said electromagnetic controlling mechanism to the starting contacts in thevcommutator, together with means to produce complete actuation of all the striking contacts for each operation of the electromagnetic controlling mechanism.

(3. Electric striking means for clocks comprising the following instrumentalities: a clock driven commutator having selective contacts and starting contacts for the several divisions of time to be struck, a plurality of striking contacts with circuit connections to the several selective contacts of the commutator, a power driven drum having a plurality of sets of cam teeth each set cooperating with one of the striking contacts, striking mechanism and an electromagnet controlling the same, circuit connections from said electromagnet to the commutator, asource of current included therein, a detent normally holding the striking drum against movement, an electromagnet controlling said detent, circuit connections from said magnet to the starting contacts of the commutator,

and a source of current included therein.

7 Electrical striking means for clocks comprising the following instrumentalities: a clock-driven commutator having selective contacts 23, and starting contacts 27, with a cooperating traveling contact 26, a plurality of triking contacts 21, a drum 20 carrying teeth adapted to act on said striking contacts when the drum is rotated, a motor for driving said drum, individual circuit connection from the striking contacts 21 to the corresponding selective commutator contacts 23,

striking mechanism and an electromagnet 12 controlling the same, circuit connections for said electromagnet including a source of current and adapted to be completed through the selective commutator contacts and the striking contacts 21, a double acting detent mechanism 30, 31, 32, normally maintaining the striking drum in proper position to act fully and consecutively upon the striking cont-acts 21 in one rotation for its release,

7 and adapted to detain-the drum at the end of said rotation until the detent mechanism is restored to normal position, an electromagnet 29 controlling said detent mecha- .n1sm, and circuit connections including a sourcefiof current from said electromagnet throug tator. I

8. Electric chime mechanism for clocks comprising a commutator, a plurality of relays controlled thereby,'one.for each division of time at which chimes are to be rung, a plurality of chime circuits controlled by said relays, so as to render operative a predetermined group of circuits for each division of time, and means for opening and closing all of said circuits in predetermined order once for each of said divisions of'tiine.

9. An electric chime mechanism for clocks comprising the following instrumentalities: a clock driven commutator having selective contacts as 36, 38, 40 and 4-2, a plurality of chime contacts, a drum as 20 carrying teeth cooperating with said chime contacts, means for driving said drum, a plurality of chime strikers, an electroinagnet for each striker, individual circuit connections from said electromagnets to the several chime striking contacts, means controlled through the commutators selective contacts to complete said chime strikers circuits in distinctive groups corresponding to the divisions of time, and means simultaneously controlled at each division of time for actuating said drum to open and close the chime contacts.

10. An electric chime mechanism for clocks comprising the following instrumentalities: a clock driven commutator having selective contacts as, 36, 88, 40 and 42, a plurality of chime contacts, a drum as 20 carrying teeth cooperating with said chime contacts, means for driving said drum, a plurality of chime 1 the starting contacts on the commustrikers, an electromagnet for each striker,

individual circuit connections from said electromagnets to the several chime striking contacts, a set of relays, one for each commutator contact 36, 38,;etc., circuit connections for said relays closed through said contactsin rotation, contacts in said relays included in-the chime striker circuits, and means controlled through the commutator for actuating said drum.

11. Electric chime mechanism for clocks comprising a commutator, a plurality of switchingdevices controlled thereby, one of each division of time at which chimes are to be rung, a plurality of chime circuits controlled by each of said switching devices, so

as to render operative a predetermined group of circuits for each division of time, and means for opening and closing all of said circuits in predetermined cyclical order.

12. An electric chime mechanism for clocks comprising the following instrumentalities: a clock driven commutator having selective contacts as 36, 88, 4.0 and 42, aplurality of chime contacts, a drum as 20 carrying teeth cooperating with said chime contacts,means for driving said drum, a plurality of chime strikers, an electromagnet for each striker, individual circuit connections from said electromagnets to the several chime striking contacts, a set of multiple switching devices, one for each commutator contact 36, 38, etc,

actuating means forsaid switching devices havlng c1rcu1'ts closed through said contacts in rotation, contactsinsaid switching devices included in the chime striker circuits, and means for actuating said drum at proper intervals for striking the chimes selected by the switching devices: v

13. Chime mechanism for clocks comprising a plurality of chimefelements, electromagnetic actuating means therefor, individual control circuits for said actuating means, a switch having acyclical operation and from which all of said circuits are operable in the same cycle, and clock controlled means determining the particular circuits *operatively associated therewith during any cycle of operation.

14L Electric chime mechanism for clocks, comprising a plurality of chimes, electromagnetic actuating means therefor, individual controlling circuits for said actuating means, form operated means for controlling said individual circuits, and a clock controlled switching device determining the particular individual circuits placed under control of said form operated device at any interval of time.

15. Electric chime mechanism for clocks, comprising a plurality of chime elements, electromagnetic actuating means therefor, individual controlling circuits for said actuating means, form operated means having a determinate cycle of operation controlling the energization of said individual circuits,

and a clock controlled switching device determining the particular individual controlling circuits under the control of said form device at any division of time.

16. Electric chime mechanism for clocks,

comprising a plurality of chime elements,

electromagnetic actuating means for the same, individual normally disabled control ling circuits for, said actuating means, a

form device for controlling said circuits inpredetermined musical order, and a time controlled switching device governing contacts insaid circuits and adapted thereby to enable said circuits for control by and place them in groups under the control of, said form operateddevices.

11:. Electric chime mechanism for clocks comprising a plurality of chime elements, electromagentic actuating means therefor, individual controlling circuits for said actuatin means,.a form device, cont-rolling said circuits andadapted to energize the same in predetermined musical order, a clock controlled switching device determin- 1 o ing the number of saidcircuits placed under control of said form dev ce at any divislon of time, an independent source of powerfor driving said form device, and clock contherefor, individual controlling circuits for said actuating means, a form device controlling said circuits and adapted to energize the same in predetermined musical order, time controlled switching means determining the particular controlling circuits energized from said form at any division of time, and additional time controlled means determining the operation of said form device.

comprising a plurality of chime-elements, individual means for actuating the same, in dividual electric control circuits for said means, a form device controlling said circuits and adapted to v energize the same in predetermined musical order, and time controlled switohing means predetermining the 19.-Electric chime mechanism for clocks particular circuits energized by said lorin device at any division of time.

20. Electric chime mechanism for clocks zcomprising a pluralityof chime elements,

individual actuating means for each of said 7 chime elements, a source of power, individual controlling conductors extending from said. actuating means to sand source of power, a

control device in'each of said conductors controlllng the transmlssion of power from said source to said actuating means, a form device governing said control'devices in said conductors in predetermined musical order, and time controlledswitching means also in said conductors and determining those under control of said form device at any division of time. Y i

21;. Electric striking and chime mechanism for clocks comprising chime and striking elements, actuating means for each of said elements, a source of power, control conductors extending from said actuating means to said source of power and adapted for the transmission of power from said source to said actuating means, control devices in said conductors governing said transmission of power and hence the operation of said actucomin under control of said form device at each division or time.

22. Electric striking and chime mechanism for clocks comprising chimeand strile ing elements, actuating means for each of said elements, a source of power, control conductors extending from said actuating means to said source of power and adapted for the transmission of power from said source to said actuating means, control devices in said conductors governing said transmission of power and hence the operation of said actuating means, a form device governin said control device and adapted to operate the same to supply power to said actuating means in predetermined musical order, time controlled means determining the control of said striking elements from said form device, an additional time controlled means predetermining those of said chime elements under control of said form device at each division or" time, one of said time elements having affixed time lead over the other.

Electric striking and chime mechanism for clocks comprlsing chime and striking elements, actuating means for each of said elements, a source of power, control conductors extending from said actuating means to said source of power and adapted for the transmission of power from said source to said actuating means, a control device in said conductors governing said transmission of power and hence the operation of said actuating means, a form device governing said control device and adapted to operate the same to supply power to the said chime actuating means in predetermined musical order, time controlled means determining the control of said striking elements from said form device, an additional time controlled means predeterminingthose of said chime elements under control of said form device at each division of time, means source to said actuating means, a control device in each of said conductors, aform device operating said control devices, those of the chime elements in predetermined musical order, and those of the striking elements a variable number of times, control means for said form device limiting the operation of the same to a predetermined cycle, and two separate time controlled switching devices,

the one governing the actuation of said chime elements from said form devlce and the other the actuation of said striking elements from said form device, together with common actuating connections from said time controlled devices to the control means for said form devices whereby either or both ct said time controlled devices may cause a cycle of operation of said form device.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses. 4

EDWARD E. CLEMENT.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. MARE, G. E. RUFF. 

